Pocket sterilizing case for clinical thermometers



A. J. v. WDQNNELIL. POCKET STERILIZING CASE FOR CLINICAL THERMOMETERSFiled Dec. 22. '1921 "mgm,

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uurrno STATES intimi ALEXANDER JOSEPH VINCENT IVICDONNELL, 01E LONDON,ENGLAND.

POCKET STERILIZJENG CASE FOR GLINCAL THEBMOMETJERS. v

Application le. December 22, 1921.

To all whom 'it may concern:

lie it known that l, ALEXANDER Josnrri ViNonN'r MCDONNELL, a subject ofHis Maj- @sty the King of Great Britain, residing at 5 39 Stamford Hill,London, N. 16, England, have invented certain new and useful llmprovements in or Relating to Pocket Sterilizing Cases for ClinicalThermometers, of `which the following is a specication, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in or relating to pocketsterilizing cases for clinical thermometers of the kind in which thethermometer is suspended in a tube made of glass or other transparentmaterial permanently closed at its lower end and contain ing anantiseptic fluid the said glass or like tube being enclosed in an outerprotecting case which is formed with a slot or slots through which thethermometer the inner tube and the antiseptic fluid may be seen.

ln order to fill the inner tube with the requisite quantity ofantiseptic fluid it was necessary to employ a syringe or the like toinject the fluid into the tube and in order to empty the tube it wasnecessary to swing or jerk the same.

f he chief object ot the present invention is to overcome thisinconvenience and this l efl'ect by leaving the glass or like tube openat its lower end and closing the saine by means of a suitable plug orcap which is readily applied to the tube or removed from the same.

lWhen the closing device has been removed any fluid therein will flowtherefrom by gravity, aided, if necessary by a slight swing. ln order toinsert the requisite quantity of antiseptic fluid into the tube thelower end thereof is inserted into the fiuid as far as necessary, theupper end of the tube being left open. rlhe fluid will iind its ownlevel in the tube in known manner. A finger is r' then placed on theupper end of the tube and `it is withdraw from the fluid, lifting thefluid within the tube like a pipette. The lower end of the glass or liketube is then closed by the plug or cap'and the tube is inserted into theouter protecting case.

Serial No. 524,261.

ln the annexed drawings Figure l is a part sectional elevation of apocket sterilizing case for clinical thermometers in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a slight 55 modification.

Referring to Fig. l, l is the sterilizing tube, 2 is the thermometer, 3is the outer protecting case, Ll is the ordinary upper cap or closure, 5is a slot in the outer case 3, and 6 is a cap or head on the thermometerwhich seats on the edge or lip of the sterilizing tube 1 and thussuspends the thermometer in said tube.

As shown in Fig. l, the glass tube l is open at its lower end and closedby means of a `cork or india rubber or other suitable plug 7 which has aliquid tight fit in the tube l but is not so tight as to render itdiflicult to insert or withdraw the same. The plug 7 is su-flicientlylong so that when it is in place in the tube l a portion is leftprojecting from the tube by which the plug may be readily withdrawn. Theplug 7 should not enter the tube l to such an extent that it touches thethermometer 2 as in that case the cap G would not seat itself properlyon top of the tube 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, a plug 8 fixed as by cement or the like in thelower end of the tube 1 has a screw threaded passage 9 extending throughit into which screws the stem 1,0 of the screw stopper 1l. 12 is awasher of india rubber or the like between the stopper head 1l and theplug 8, to ensure against any possible leakage.

lf desired, the closures shown may be replaced by a closely fitting capmade of any suitable material such as rubber or metal, and in thislatter case the lower end of the cap would be fitted with a suitablesoft pad to make a liquid-tight joint with the lower end of thesterilizing tube 1.

What l 'claim and desire to secure by laetters Patent of the UnitedStates is 95 The combination of a clinical thermometer, a sterilizingtube open at both ends, an enlargement on the thermometer adapted toseat on the lip of the sterilizing tube to thereby hold the thermometersuspended in said tube, a plug projecting suiieiently from In testimonywhereof I have signed my said end to be readily grasped, and an outernaine in the presence of two subscribing w111- protecting case in Whichthe sterllizing tube nesses.

is slidable, said outer case being formed With ALEXANDER JOSEPH VINCENTMcDONNELL. e longitudinal slot whereby removal of the Witnesses:sterilizing tube is facilitated and which also E. C. XALKER,

Serves for viewing purposes. L. E. GREENACRE.

